Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats, meaning that they cannot synthesize taurine from other amino acids derived from their diet.  Taurine deficiency was identified years ago (1988) as a leading cause of retinal degeneration and cardiomyopathy in cats.  Since then, most pet food manufacturers add taurine to their recipes.

So why add more taurine to your cat's diet?  Taurine is a very delicate amino acid.  Studies show that up to 80% of taurine is denatured by the cooking process, and all processed foods are cooked!  If you are feeding a commercial pet food, the extra taurine that was added in the manufacturing process may be denatured by the heat of cooking.

Supplementation with taurine will ensure that your cat is receiving all that is needed of this essential amino acid, in a natural form not denatured by heat processing.

Taurine is also a key component in the central nervous system and skeletal muscle.  Taurine is very concentrated in the brain and heart.  Other roles played by taurine are the maintenance of the correct composition of bile and the regulation of cholesterol solubility.  It helps to stabilize cell membranes and seems to have some antioxidant and detoxifying activity.  It helps the movement of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium in and out of cells, which helps generate nerve impulses.